Coin packer



Sept. 21, 1965 J. P. NORRIS COIN PACKER Filed Nov. 2., 1962 Afforney United States Patent 3,206,914 COIN PACKER James P. Norris, 2914 NE. 55th Ave., Portland, Oreg. Filed Nov. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 235,026 3 Claims. (Cl. 53-254) This invention relates to a device for facilitating the counting and packing of coins in a conventional tubular paper wrapper having both ends open.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which i simple and economical to manufacture and which enables the packing of coins with greater facility and speed than other devices heretofore provided for the purpose.

Additional object-s and advantages will become apparent and the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated on the accompanying drawing. Various changes may be made, however, in details of construc-tion without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims are included in the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the first step in the use of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device, with parts broken away, showing a stack of coins therewithin;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing another step in the use of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View showing a further step in the use of the device; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the final step.

The present device consists of only two parts, these being a funnel tube and mandrel 11. The main length of the funnel tube is cylindrical with an inside diameter to fit the outside diameter of a conventional tubular paper Wrapper 12. The paper wrapper 12 is inserted through the open lower end of tube 10 until the upper end of the wrapper abuts an internal shoulder 13 in the upper end of tube 10. Shoulder 13 has a width .approximately equal to the thickness of the paper. The lower end of the sloping interior funnel wall 14 terminates at, or approximately at, the shoulder 13 thereby forming a lip 13a which defines an opening to receive the coins introduced through the funnel.

The lower end portion of tube 10 is provided with two diametrically opposite notches 15 for a purpose which will presently be explained. The end 9 of the tube is beveled inwardly to facilitate insertion of the wrapper.

The mandrel 11 is cylindrical and of a suitable diameter to fit within the wrapper 12. The length of the mandrel is measured from its upper fiat end 16 down to a peripheral fiange 17. As will presently be explained, this distance is equal to the unused length of the wrapper which is subsequently folded over the ends of a roll of coins. Intermediate its end 16 and flange 17, the mandrel is provided with an inscribed line or groove 18. The lower end of the mandrel below flange 17 is provided with a knob or 'handle 19.

In the use of the device, one end of the tubular wrapper 12 is placed on mandrel 11 abutting the flange 17, in which position it is grasped by the fingers of one hand. Then, the other end of the wrapper is inserted into the lower end of funnel tube 10 until it abuts shoulder 13. The present device is particularly intended for use with conventional pre-formed wrapper tube 12 which have both ends open. Such wrapper tubes are usually packed in flat condition. Placing one end of the wrapper on the mandrel rounds that end out to circular shape and the beveled lower end 9 of funnel tube 10 facilitates the inser- 3,206,914 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 tion and rounding out of the other end of the wrapper as shown in FIGURE 1. In this view the fingers of the right hand have been moved back from normal position in order to show the mandrel within the wrapper.

In case pre-formed wrappers are not available they may readily be made out of a piece of paper with the aid of the present device. Preferably, the length of funnel tube 10 from end 9 to shoulder 13 is equal to the length of a standard wrapper whereby this distance may be used as a measure for the correct length of homemade wrappers. In gluing the paper to circular shape, the mandrel 11 provides a gauge for the inside circumferential measurement.

When the paper wrapper tube and mandrel have been assembled in the funnel tube in the manner just described, the assembly may conveniently be held upright by grasping the lower end of the funnel tube and mandrel handle 19 in one hand. Coins C are then introduced into the funnel as shown in FIGURE 2, the lip 13a providing a gauge to count the coins. Any coins having side edges visible above the lip are removed. When the tube is full of coins with no side edges visible, the correct number is present for a standard roll, such as fifty in the case of pennies. The length of the mandrel is made such that this relationship exists.

The next step is to withdraw the mandrel until the line 18 is even with the end of wrapper 12 as shown in FIG- URE 3. The thumb and index finger of one hand may then be placed in the notches 15 to grasp the wrapper 12 against the mandrel and hold the mandrel in this position inside the wrapper. This will allow the coins to be pushed into the wrapper the same distance that the mandrel has been withdrawn. This is done by inserting the index finger of the other hand through the funnel end of tube 10 which manipulation is also shown in FIGURE 3.

The wrapper full of coins is now ready to be withdrawn from funnel tube 10 as shown in FIGURE 4. This is done by maintaining the grasp of the lower end of he wrapper tube 12 against the upper end of the mandrel by the thumb and one finger and sliding funnel tube 10 oil the wrapper tube.

With funnel tube 10 removed, the open upper end of the wrapper tube may be folded over tightly against the upper end of the stack of coins as shown in FIGURE 5. Then, the roll of coins is inverted, to place the mandrel end uppermost, the mandrel removed and the paper folded over on this end of the wrapper.

The counting is accurate and, with a little practice, the manipulations involved in the foregoing procedure may be performed quite rapidly whereby a large number of coins may be counted and packed very quickly and with little efiort.

The axial thickness of the lip 13a is not critical. Any excess thickness in this lip may be compensated by the length of the mandrel so that there will be no error in the count of the coins. It will be apparent that the coin count is determined by the distance from the end 16 of the mandrel to the upper edge of the lip where the edge of a coin projecting above the lip would be visible. This distance must be equal to the height of a stack of the predetermined number of coins to be wrapped. If standard paper wrappers are used, the length of tube 10 is not critical provided it does not extend below the lower end of the wrapper. If the tube is shorter than a standard wrapper, then the wrapper will be the length gauge with the flange 17 abutting the lower end of the wrapper instead of tube 10.

When the device is to be used for gauging the length of homemade wrappers, then the length of tube 10 from the underside of shoulder 13 to its lower end 9 should 3 be made exactly equal to the length of a standard wrap- Iper. .Then the flange 17 abuts the lower ends of both tube and wrapper.

When flange 17 abuts the end of the Wrapper, the length of the mandrel from flange 17 to its end 16 represents the excess length of wrapper which is avail-able to be folded over the ends of the roll, the line 18 bisecting this length to provide equal fold-over at the two ends. The distance from line 18 to end 16 represents the length of wrapper available for folding over the adjacent end of the roll while the distance from line 18 to flange 17 represents the length of wrapper available for folding over the opposite end of the roll. This relationship requires that flange 17 abut the end vof the wrapper regardless of whether or not it abuts the end 9 of tube 10 at the same time. V

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin packer for counting and packing a stack of a predetermined number of coins in a pre-for-med tubular wrapper of predetermined length open at both ends and having an excess length available for folding over the ends of said stack of coins, said packer comprising a cylindrical tube having an interior shoulder in one end of the tube forming a stop for one end of the wrapper when the wrapper is inserted in the opposite end of the tube, a mandrel having a cylindrical portion insertable in the opposite end of the wrapper to support the wrapper for insertion into said tube, a peripheral flange on said mandrel to limit the depth of insertion of the mandrel into the wrapper, a funnel on said one end of said tube for feeding coin-s into the wrapper, and a lip defining the inner edges of said shoulder and funnel surfaces, the distance from the inner end of the mandrel to the outer edge of said lip being equal to the height of said stack when the mandrel and wrapper are inserted in said tube and the length of said mandrel from said flange to said inner end being equal to the excess length of wrapper available for folding ,over both ends of the stack. 7

2.,A coin packer as defined in claim 1, including a periphenal groove in said mandrel to mark its mid length and a handle on the outer end of the mandrel.

3. A coin packer as defined in claim 1, said opposite end of said funnel tube having, a pair of diametrically opposite notches therein for grasping said Wrapper against the mandrel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 613,408 11/98 Cable 53-213 720,070 '2/03 Rice 5321*3 801,725 10/50 Lenahan 53- 254 FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Examiner. 

1. A COIN PACKER FOR COUNTING AND PACKING A STACK OF A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF COINS IN A PRE-FORMED TUBULAR WRAPPER OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH OPEN AT BOTH ENDS AND HAVING AN EXCESS LENGTH AVAILABLE FOR FOLDING OVER THE ENDS OF SAID STACK OF COINS, SAID PACKER COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL TUBE HAVING AN INTERIOR SHOULDER IN ONE END OF THE TUBE FORMING A STOP FOR ONE END OF THE WRAPPER WHEN THE WRAPPER IS INSERTED IN THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TUBE, A MANDREL HAVING A CYLINDRICAL PORTION INSERTABLE IN THE OPPOSITE END OF THE WRAPPER TO SUPPORT THE WRAPPER FOR INSERTION INTO SAID TUBE, A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ON SAID MANDREL TO LIMIT THE DEPTH OF INSERTION OF THE MANDREL INTO THE WRAPPER, A FUNNEL ON SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBE FOR FEEDING COINS INTO THE WRAPPER, AND A LIP DEFINING THE INNER EDGES OF SAID SHOULDER AND FUNNEL SURFACES, THE DISTANCE FROM THE INNER END OF THE MANDREL TO THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID LIP BEING EQUAL TO THE HEIGHT OF SAID STACK WHEN THE MANDREL AND WRAPPER ARE INSERTED IN SAID TUBE AND THE LENGTH OF SAID MANDREL FROM SAID FLANGE TO SAID INNER END BEING EQUAL TO THE EXCESS LENGTH OF WRAPPER AVAILABLE FOR FOLDING OVER BOTH OF THE STACK. 